This TVNZ story is republished with permission
Ahead of the Government’s review of the country’s Covid-19 alert levels this afternoon, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says “bar anything significant”, Auckland will move from Alert Level 2 to 1.
Ardern said Auckland was placed in Alert Level 2 from last Thursday only as a “precautionary” measure, after Cabinet received “considered advice” from experts like her chief science adviser and the Director-General of Health.
“Every time we’ve had an adjustment in our alert levels, we prefer to step down rather than make big leaps. That gives us a chance to check we’ve got our settings right,” she said.
Ardern said Cabinet had the confidence to lower alert levels even if the source of the latest Auckland Covid-19 outbreak hadn’t been determined because of mass testing and wastewater testing.
Cabinet will also consider today whether face coverings will remain mandatory on public transport in Alert Level 1 and 2. Until last week, only Aucklanders have been required to wear face masks on public transport at all alert levels.
